The William Saliba problem is snowballing. A conundrum Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta needs to find a rapid answer to.
If he doesn't, then the consequences are profound - the Premier League title is on the line.
With Saliba, the Gunners were moving along just nicely. Without him, Arsenal are losing their grip on championship race.
Confirmation that Saliba will miss Wednesday night's title showdown at Manchester City due to serious 'structural damage' to his lower back comes as blow - but isn't completely unsurprising.
They've suspected for quite a while that Saliba may struggle to play again this season - despite the Frenchman's efforts to persuade medics that he can play through the pain.